One Sentence Synopsis

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is approaching and four fates will collide under the dark sky of a total eclipse.

Favorite Quote

“I am the only storm that matters now, and there is no shelter from what I bring.”

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As I’ve gotten more into the book community, there are quite a few authors that have popped up on my radar that I didn’t know of before. One of those authors is Rebecca Roanhorse. I remember when a lot of people were talking about Trail of Lightning and thinking I should give it a try. But my TBR is ever-growing and it got lost in the stack. Then, I read Vampires Never Get Old, a short story compilation all about our favorite fanged fiends, and found myself really enjoying the story written by Rebecca Roanhorse. And I knew she was coming out with the first book in her new adult fantasy series, so she quickly got bumped up on the TBR. I’m so glad I picked this one up because it completely knocked it out of the park!

This story is a beautiful mix of four vastly different lives. We have a young man who has been brutally fashioned into a vessel for an old god. We have a sailor whose heritage makes her both feared and sought after. There is a woman who has fought to rise above her humble beginnings to try and make a difference. And there is a son who wishes to protect his clan from outside forces and themselves. All these stories are weaved together over the backdrop of an impending total eclipse in which all of their lives will be changed forever.

I feel like it’s taken me forever to actually sit down and write about this book because how does one describe the feeling of being completely transported by a story? How can I find the appropriate words to articulate how much this story burrowed into my consciousness and now lives there rent free? What can I say that will do justice to this book in an eloquent manner when all I want to do is shout “PLEASE READ THIS NOW” to any and everyone? This books deserves the best of the best writings to capture how stunning it is!

But ya got me, so prepare yourselves for an unabashed, slightly inarticulate gush!

AAAHHHH, THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE! Everything about Black Sun was perfection, from the writing, to the characters, to the immaculate world-building. When they talk about ‘immersive reads’, they mean books like this one. Every single element was crafted in a way that completely sucks you into the story. Let’s talk about our characters, for instance. First, I would die for Xiala. Seriously, she’s amazing and I wanted to fight anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way in this book 😤 She’s complex and intriguing, with layers that make her the most interesting of the characters you come across over the course of this story (I love the little snippets of her Teek heritage!). And one of those characters may or may not be a literal god! That’s not to say that the other characters are lacking, of course. Serapio, Naranpa, and Okoa, the other main characters in this tale, are all fascinating and you can’t help but want to know more about them. Multiple POVs doesn’t always do it for me, but Rebecca Roanhorse pulls it off flawlessly!

Speaking of ‘flawless’, can we talk about the world-building of this story?? Because… just… *chef’s kiss* This is a beautiful example of creating a world with a lot of background and traditions, but not just dumping all the info on the reader in boring exposition. Rebecca Roanhorse is the best kind of storyteller; one that can craft an intricate world and pull you into it in a manner that is lyrical and smooth. I found myself so immersed within just a few pages and, even as I closed the book, I wished I could stay for just a little bit longer. The world of Black Sun is rich, vibrant, and absolutely captivating! I’m also stoked that we’re getting an adult epic fantasy series that is not set in some fantasy version of medieval Europe. The culture in this book is beautiful to behold, though I, of course, can’t speak to the representation. It’s a setting that I haven’t seen before and I instantly want more of. Thankfully, this is just the first book in the series!

This book has also cemented the fact that I love Rebecca Roanhorse’s writing. As I mentioned, I’ve only ever read a short story from her, but it stuck with me so much that I had to try out one of her novels. I’m glad to see that that story wasn’t just a one-off and this is an author that could easily become a favorite! Being who I am as a person, I find it hard to put into words what I love so much about her writing. There’s just something about it that makes it flow so well that I found myself tearing through the pages. I even found myself enjoying the non-linear timeline, which can often be a stumbling block for me. What can I say, I’m easily confused 😅 But this author made it work! It added a sense of suspense that carries through the entire book as we arrive at the end. I will say that this is definitely a dark and graphic story, so please check trigger warnings before you dive in.

Final thoughts: This book is absolutely phenomenal! Every aspect is well-crafted, from the richly imagined world, to the complex and fascinating characters. Every bit of this book is designed to make you forget about the outside world while you become invested in everything that is happening in the story. This is a dark story that is written masterfully and in such a way that I’m still thinking about it a week later. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy with dark themes, multiple POVs, non-linear timelines, and with a unique setting, I think you would enjoy Black Sun!